Chadian police raided the premises of the private radio station FM Liberté on Friday, November 27 in N’Djaména. According to the police, 70 people were arrested. They were released, for the majority, Friday night, but three civil society activists were brought before the prosecutor, still according to police. This intervention was strongly condemned by several organizations outraged by the tense climate that has prevailed in Chad in recent weeks vis-à-vis civil society and political parties.
The Union of Trade Unions in Chad (UST) condemns “savage intervention and arbitrary arrests”, reads a statement. This episode comes a few weeks after the headquarters of several political parties and the homes of opposition leaders were surrounded. Among them: Saleh Kebzabo from the National Union for Development and Renewal, Mahamat Ahmat Alhabo from the Party for Freedoms and Democracy, and Succès Masra representing Transformers.
Everyone is suspected of wanting to organize a counter-forum after the authorities’ “inclusive national forum”. On Thursday, November 26, a decree issued by the government formally banned the holding of a “Citizen Forum,” originally scheduled for Friday.
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Mahamat Nour Ibedou, Secretary General of the Chadian Convention for the Defense of Human Rights, is concerned about this hardening. “Three or four months ago, this dictatorial drive began to feel more and more,” he notes.
Mahamat Zène Bada, secretary general of the patriotic salvation movement, for his part, condemned an “armed opposition”. “This armed opposition is banned by the constitution. These people who now demand that their forums be called, it is also for the participation of the armed opposition. The armed opposition must be treated as such, he insists.
Currently, three civil society activists would be brought before the prosecution after the ban on the “Citizen Forum” on Friday.
“We are not free. They control us, they prevent us from meeting ”
Mekondo Sony, President of the Union of Private Radios of Chad (URPT)
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